Socket holder

ABSTRACT

A socket holder is adapted for retaining a socket thereon. The socket has an internal surrounding surface. The socket holder includes a first retaining portion extending along a first axis, a second retaining portion extending along a second axis parallel to the first axis and in the same direction as the first retaining portion, and movable relative to the first retaining portion, and a biasing component for biasing the second retaining portion to move away from the first retaining portion. The second retaining portion cooperates with the first retaining portion to abut against the internal surrounding surface of the socket to retain the socket on the socket holder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a socket holder adapted for retaining a socket thereon.

2. Description of the Related Art

A socket set includes a number of sockets with different diameters, such that a user can use the socket set with one handle for fitting different sizes of fasteners.

However, the sockets have to be stored systematically such that the user can easily find the desired one. Moreover, the sockets have to be stored separately and securely to avoid collisions therebetween that can result in wear and eventual damage to the sockets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a socket holder that is capable of retaining securely a socket thereon.

Accordingly, a socket holder of the present invention is adapted for retaining a socket thereon. The socket has an internal surrounding surface. The socket holder comprises a first retaining portion extending along a first axis, a second retaining portion extending along a second axis parallel to the first axis and in the same direction as the first retaining portion, and movable relative to the first retaining portion, and a biasing component for biasing the second retaining portion to move away from the first retaining portion. The second retaining portion cooperates with the first retaining portion to abut against the internal surrounding surface of the socket to retain the socket on the socket holder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of a socket holder according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled side view of the first preferred embodiment before retaining a socket thereon;

FIG. 3 is an assembled sectional view of the first preferred embodiment when retaining the socket thereon;

FIG. 4 is an assembled sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of the socket holder according to the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment of the socket holder according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of the socket holder 200 according to the present invention is adapted for retaining a socket 90 thereon. The socket 90 has an internal surrounding surface 901 (see FIG. 3). The socket holder 200 comprises a housing 20, an operating block 30, and a biasing component 40.

The housing 20 has a first side surface 201 provided with a first retaining portion 22 that extends along a first axis (Z), and defines a receiving space 25 (see FIG. 3) therein. The receiving space 25 extends along a third axis (X) that is perpendicular to the first axis (Z). The housing 20 further has an inner surface 204 (see FIG. 3) facing the receiving space 25, and an end surface 202 connected to the first side surface 201 and formed with an opening 21 that is in spatial communication with the receiving space 25 and that is registered with the third axis (X). The housing 20 further has a slit 211 formed in the first side surface 201 and extending in a direction parallel to the third axis (X) from the end surface 202 to the first retaining portion 22. In this embodiment, the housing 20 further has a pair of engaging holes 23 formed at opposite sides of the third axis (X) and in spatial communication with the receiving space 25.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the operating block 30 has an extending section 35 that is disposed to extend into the receiving space 25 in the housing 20 via the opening 21 and that is provided with a second retaining portion 32. The second retaining portion 32 extends along a second axis (Y) parallel to the first axis (Z) and in the same direction as the first retaining portion 22, and extends outwardly of the housing 20 from the operating block 30 via the slit 211 in the housing 20. The operating block 30 is movable relative to the housing 20 along the third axis (X) such that the second retaining portion 32 is movable relative to the first retaining portion 22 along the slit 211. The operating block 30 further has an actuated section 31 connected to the extending section 35 and exposed from the receiving space 25 via the opening 21 of the housing 20. In this embodiment, the extending section 35 has a pair of engaging components 33 that engage respectively the engaging holes 23 in the housing 20 for coupling movably the operating block 30 to the housing 20, and a connecting portion 34 formed at one end opposite to the actuated section 31 along the third axis (X).

Preferably, the first retaining portion 22 is formed with a receiving groove 221 that is in spatial communication with the slit 211 and that is capable of receiving the second retaining portion 32 therein.

The biasing component 40 is disposed between the housing 20 and the operating block 30 for biasing the operating block 30 to move away from the housing 20 along the third axis (X). In this embodiment, the biasing component 40 is a compression spring (see FIG. 3) that has one end connected to the operating block 30, such as by sleeving on the connecting portion 34 of the operating block 30, and another end opposite to the one end along the third axis (X) and abutting against the inner surface 204 of the housing 20.

In use, the actuated section 31 of the operating block 30 is pushed for moving the operating block 30 toward the housing 20 along the third axis (X), thereby moving the second retaining portion 32 toward the first retaining portion 22, and thereby compressing the biasing component 40. At this time, the socket 90 can be sleeved on the first and second retaining portions 22, 32. When the actuated section 31 is released, the restoring energy of the biasing component 40 biases the operating block 30 to move away from the housing 20 along the third axis (X), such that the second retaining portion 32 cooperates with the first retaining portion 22 to abut against the internal surrounding surface 901 of the socket 90 to retain the socket 90 thereon. The socket 90 can be removed from the first and second retaining portions 22, 32 by simply pushing the actuated section 31 of the operating block 30 to move the second retaining portion 32 toward the first retaining portion 22 along the third axis (X).

Therefore, a plurality of sockets 90 can be stored systematically by retaining each of the sockets 90 on a corresponding socket holder 200 of the invention, such that a user can easily find the desired one of the sockets 90. Moreover, retaining the sockets 90 respectively on different socket holders 200 of the invention can avoid collisions to minimize wear and eventual damage to the sockets 90.

As shown in FIG. 4, the second preferred embodiment of the socket holder 200 according to the present invention has a structure similar to that of the first embodiment. The main difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment resides in the configuration of the biasing component 40. In this embodiment, the biasing component 40 is a leaf spring that is made from plastic and that extends integrally from the connecting portion 34 of the extending section 35 of the operating block 30 along the third axis (X) to abut against the inner surface 204 of the housing 20. The second preferred embodiment has the same advantages as those of the first preferred embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 5, the third preferred embodiment of the socket holder 200 according to the present invention has a structure similar to that of the first embodiment. The main differences between this embodiment and the first preferred embodiment reside in the following. The housing 20 further has a second side surface 203 disposed opposite to the first side surface 201 in a direction parallel to the first axis (Z) and provided with a slide member 24. The socket holder 200 of this embodiment further comprises a slide rail 50 for retaining slidably the slide member 24. Therefore, by retaining a plurality of the housings 20 with the corresponding operating blocks 30 and biasing components 40 (see FIGS. 1 to 4) on the slide rail 50, a plurality of sockets (not shown) can be retained slidably on the slide rail 50, thereby enhancing the flexibility during use. The third preferred embodiment has the same advantages as those of the first preferred embodiment.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A socket holder adapted for retaining a socket thereon, the socket having an internal surrounding surface, said socket holder comprising: a first retaining portion extending along a first axis; a second retaining portion extending along a second axis parallel to the first axis and in the same direction as said first retaining portion, and movable relative to said first retaining portion; and a biasing component for biasing said second retaining portion to move away from said first retaining portion; wherein said second retaining portion cooperates with said first retaining portion to abut against the internal surrounding surface of the socket to retain the socket on said socket holder.
 2. The socket holder as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a housing provided with said first retaining portion and defining a receiving space therein, and an operating block provided with said second retaining portion, disposed to extend into said receiving space, and movable along a third axis that is perpendicular to the first and second axes, said biasing component being disposed between said housing and said operating block.
 3. The socket holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein: said receiving space defined by said housing extends along the third axis; said housing has an opening that is in spatial communication with said receiving space and that is registered with the third axis; and said operating block extends into said receiving space via said opening.
 4. The socket holder as claimed in claim 3, wherein: said housing has a first side surface provided with said first retaining portion, an end surface connected to said first side surface and formed with said opening, and a slit formed in said first side surface and extending in a direction parallel to the third axis from said end surface to said first retaining portion; and said second retaining portion extends outwardly of said housing from said operating block via said slit and is movable relative to said first retaining portion along said slit.
 5. The socket holder as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first retaining portion is formed with a receiving groove that is in spatial communication with said slit in said housing, and that is capable of receiving said second retaining portion therein.
 6. The socket holder as claimed in claim 3, wherein said housing further has an engaging hole in spatial communication with said receiving space in said housing, said operating block having an engaging component that engages said engaging hole for coupling movably said operating block to said housing.
 7. The socket holder as claimed in claim 3, wherein said operating block has an extending section provided with said second retaining portion, and an actuated section connected to said extending section and exposed from said receiving space via said opening of said housing.
 8. The socket holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein said biasing component is a compression spring that has one end connected to said operating block, and another end opposite to said one end along the third axis and abutting against said housing.
 9. The socket holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein said biasing component is a leaf spring that is made from plastic and that extends integrally from said operating block along the third axis to abut against said housing.
 10. The socket holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein said housing further is provided with a slide member spaced apart from said first retaining portion, said socket holder further comprising a slide rail for retaining slidably said slide member.
 11. The socket holder as claimed in claim 4, wherein said housing further has a second side surface disposed opposite to said first side surface in a direction parallel to the first axis and provided with a slide member, said socket holder further comprising a slide rail for retaining slidably said slide member. 